


Free Hug

by fopsyche94



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-01
Updated: 2016-03-01
Packaged: 2018-05-24 02:10:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6137767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fopsyche94/pseuds/fopsyche94
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yifan needs to unwind. And someone tall enough to be leaned on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Free Hug

_He is a failure_. Failure. He feels like drowning in it.

He recalls the way his co-workers looking at him. Some with triumph. Some with disappointment. Some co-workers send him pity looks. His senior doesn’t even glance at him. It is funny because everyone used to applaud him. The Almighty Yifan Wu _finally_ screws up. One mistake turns him into a pariah.

He doesn’t know what makes him choosing park as a getaway from his office suffocating atmosphere. The summer has just started and so the park is filled with a lot of people, a lot of laughs, a lot of cheerfulness that Yifan at the moment can’t bring himself to associate to. Not that he can relate with it normally, because he is always too busy with his work to notice things.

Yifan is about to leave and return to office when a young guy approaching him. He holds a small cardboard in his hand. A pleasant smile is plastered across his face.

“I can make your day better.” The guy shows the cardboard in his hands.

The handwriting scribbles on top of it reads:

_Free Hug_

_$ 0_

_“Make your day better”_

Yifan scoffs and eyes the guy critically.

“It’s a project for my psychology class,” the guy explains. “We’re learning about human emotion and we’re expected to make people experiencing certain emotions and observe them. I chose happiness.”

“Then if you chose sadness you’re going to make people cry?”

“Probably.” The guy contemplates for a while. “But there are many people in this world who choose to make others feeling sad. I’d rather challenge myself and trying to make people happy. It’s a noble case.”

Yifan is little taken aback by the guy’s words.

“So,” the guy starts, “are you going to try my service?”

 _This is crazy_. The usual Yifan wouldn’t think twice to reject the strange offer. His usual self would probably sending one of his infamous deadly glares to this college kid, making him runaway, crying. But he isn’t his usual self right now. Maybe a place to lean on is what he needs right now.

“Can you?” There is a catch in Yifan’ voice. The guy’s eyes widen a bit—maybe because he doesn’t expect Yifan to easily accept his offer—but then he breaks into a gentle smile.

“My name is Chanyeol,” the guy introduces himself. “It will be awkward if you let someone hugging you without knowing their name.”

“Yifan,” Yifan replies. The lawyer clears his throat. “So how do we do this?”

Chanyeol puts the carboard on the ground and holds out his hands. “Here,” Chanyeol says.

Blushing, Yifan steps forward, filling the empty space between Chanyeol’s arms. Those thin arms soon wrap themselves around him.

“It’s alright,” Chanyeol murmurs soothingly. The hand on Yifan’ back moves to pat it softly. “You’re wonderful just the way you are.”

Yifan feels his heart swells at Chanyeol’s endearment. _Never_ , never in his life he hears someone saying that it’s okay just be him. Everyone always expects something great from him. They want nothing less than perfect coming out of him. So—even when Yifan just wants to lounge in his room and reading his favorite fantasy books or doesn’t pin on being the best among his cohort—he forces himself to work harder and harder. He becomes someone who is always on top, spotless, never makes any wrong move. But inside, he is burdened by the badge.

“It’s okay to unwind sometimes,” Chanyeol continues. “I can feel you need it. Relax and enjoy.”

And so Yifan enjoys.

He sags against the younger’s body, his arms move involuntarily to circle the other’s thin waist. He breathes in the scents all around him—but he leans in more toward Chanyeol’s scent. He smells like fresh orange and coffee and tad bit of sweat. But the weird combination doesn’t make him fuzzy, instead he revels himself in the addicting scent. It’s relaxing.

He closes his eyes and trying to catch every single sound in his surroundings. He can hear the sound of water fountain from far, the unique sound the water makes when it hits the pool’s floor. Then the sound of children’s cheerful laughs. He can also hear the birds chirping, clearly enjoying themselves in the sunny day.

Yifan feels and feels. There is no ton of paperwork he has to think about that prevents him from _sensing_ the world. There is no call he has to make. There is nobody to impress. It is just him and the world. He wants to stay like that—preferably forever—but his logical self tells him that it isn’t possible.

Regrettably, he detaches himself from the red-hair male.

“Feeling better?” Chanyeol asks.

“Y—yeah.” Yifan scratches the back of his neck awkwardly. “Thank you.”

“I’m glad to help.”

“Well, I—” Chanyeol looks at him expectantly. “I have to go back to work, so—”

“Oh, sure.”

Yifan tilts his head as a goodbye. But before he can leave, Chanyeol grabs his hand. “Wait, you haven’t paid.”

“I thought that this is for free?” Yifan creases his heavy brows. He fishes for his wallet, nonetheless, because he _indeed_ feels a whole lot better after receiving the ‘service’. “How much?” Yifan asks.

“Just your smile, please.” Chanyeol answers with a grin.

Yifan lets out a shock laugh but quickly stops himself—he’s been told repeatedly that he shows too much gum while laughing. Chanyeol purses his lips at him.

“Why do you stop laughing?” Chanyeol protests.

Yifan then smiles his business smile.

“That’s not the smile I want.”

_This guy, really._

Chanyeol brings his fingers to the corner of Yifan’ lips. He pulls it upward.

“Smile,” Chanyeol instructs.

And Yifan smiles, widely. He probably shows all of his gums. It is imperfect—even bordering creepy—but seeing how bright the smile Chanyeol gives back to him, the smile probably is the one the guy’s asking for.

“Don’t hold yourself,” Chanyeol says. “The smile makes you even more handsome. If that’s still possible.”

“You think I’m handsome?” Yifan teases. He realizes that he’s being too playful at the moment, but he loves it.

“What?” Chanyeols splutters. “No.”

“Really?”

“I think I should go.” The guy is blushing heavily right now; it almost makes Yifan feeling bad. _Almost_. “Bye!”

He watches Chanyeol leaving in hurried step, the cardboard swings in his hand. Something at the back of his head nags him to run after the guy. After several moments Yifan decides to do just that. What’s there to lose anyway? And he quickly jogs to catch Chanyeol.

“Hey, wait!” Yifan calls.

Chanyeol turns back. He seems surprised to see Yifan following him.

“What do you say about dinner?” Yifan says in breathy voice.

Chanyeol’s big eyes are as wide as saucer now, it is comical. “Me? You’re asking me?”

“Give me your contact.” Yifan hands his phone to Chanyeol.

In autopilot manner, Chanyeol takes the phone and punches his number at the keyboard. Still in daze, he returns the phone to the owner. Yifan grins and saves the number.

“I’ll call you later and we can decide where and when to meet, okay?”

Chanyeol just nods.

“I’ll see you,” Yifan waves.

Before he leaves though, for the second time of that day, Chanyeol grabs his hand.

“I hope this isn’t too fast but—” A pair of soft and moist lips press onto Yifan’ own. But before he can formulate any thought about the kiss, Chanyeol already leans back and shrugs. “We’ve already hugged so why not a quick peck, right?”

Impulsively, Yifan leans forward in search for more, but Chanyeol steps back. “Let’s save the real kiss for the date,” Chanyeol says cheekily.

Yifan groans.

“I’ll see you around, Mister!” Chanyeol waves and turns around.

Needless to say that Yifan is excited about the prospect of their date. He wants to feel the tiny bits of liberty when he hugs the younger today, again. He may or may not expect the promised kiss too.

 


End file.
